As the world celebrated the election of the first American pope, a lighthearted but pressing question captured the attention of Chicagoans: Is he a Cubs or White Sox fan?
Robert Francis Prevost, now known as Pope Leo XIV, was born in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood and grew up in the southern suburbs. His childhood home was one of divided baseball loyalties — his mother, a passionate Cubs supporter from the city’s North Side, and his father, a devoted fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.
However, the pontiff didn’t follow in either parent’s footsteps when it came to baseball. According to his brother, John Prevost, Pope Leo made his own decision at an early age, and he chose the White Sox.
“Whoever said Cubs on the radio got it wrong,” John told WGN. “It’s Sox. He was never, ever a Cubs fan.”
Although he now serves as the spiritual leader of over 1.4 billion Catholics worldwide, Pope Leo’s loyalty on the baseball field has never been in question — he’s proudly a South Side supporter.
The news of his baseball preference quickly made waves online, especially after the Chicago Cubs attempted to align themselves with the newly elected pope. Just hours after his selection, the team shared a tribute on social media, quoting legendary Cubs broadcaster Harry Caray: “The good Lord wants the Cubs to win!”
But fans were quick to point out the mix-up, and thanks to his brother’s clarification, the truth about the Pope’s White Sox fandom couldn’t be clearer.
“Family always knows best”
However, it was the South Side that got the final word.
The White Sox quickly and proudly acknowledged their connection to the new pope, sending a team jersey and cap straight to the Vatican.
“Family always knows best,” the team told NBC Chicago. “And it sounds like Pope Leo XIV’s lifelong fandom falls a little closer to 35th and Shields. Some things are bigger than baseball, but in this case, we’re glad to have a White Sox fan represented at the Vatican.”
Related Posts
“We Voted, Audrey. You’re Not Welcome at Our Anniversary!” My Mother-in-Law Announced With a Smirk. I Wasn’t Invited to Her 40th Wedding Anniversary Party—Even Though She Was Holding It at the Lake House My Late Father Left Me. My Husband Just Sat There Until His Mother Added, “And His New Girlfriend Will Be Sleeping in Your Bedroom.” I Told Them They Weren’t Setting Foot in My House. My Mother-in-Law Laughed. “Just Try Stopping Us.” But When I Showed Up at the Lake House That Saturday, I Discovered They’d Done Something Far Worse Than Plan a Party Behind My Back.
“Sir, I Saw That Same Black Device the Night My Mom Disappeared!” A 10-Year-Old Boy Said After Finding Something Hidden Under a Millionaire’s Baby’s Shirt on a Flight to Rome. His Mother Had Been Missing for Four Days, and He Was Traveling Alone With His 3-Year-Old Sister. But When the Millionaire Recognized the Device, His Expression Suddenly Changed. What He Told the Boy Next Made His Mother’s Disappearance Even More Mysterious…
“If Something Happens to Me, Will Someone Tell My Daddy?” An 8-Year-Old Girl Asked After Waiting Nearly 2.5 Hours Alone at a Navy Hospital. Her Father Was Deployed Overseas, Unaware She Had Spent 10 Days Alone and Seriously Ill. She Had Taken Two Buses Just to Reach the Hospital—but When a Nurse Checked Her Phone, One Message From Her Aunt Revealed a Secret That Would Change Everything…
My Son Laughed When I Walked Into Court Alone and Told His Wife, “By Lunchtime, She Won’t Have Anything Left to Control.” He Wanted the Court to Declare His 71-Year-Old Mother Incapable So He Could Control My Accounts and $1.2 Million Home. But the Moment the Judge Looked at Me, He Removed His Glasses and Asked, “Judith Langley… Is That Really You?”—and My Son’s Smile Disappeared
